


Fighting Blind

by nyx_aeternum



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blind Ignis, F/M, Ignis is learning to fight again, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 19:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17689619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyx_aeternum/pseuds/nyx_aeternum
Summary: The last thing everyone expects is for Ignis to mope. Someone has to do something.





	Fighting Blind

**Author's Note:**

> This is a birthday present for promprom! It’s my first highspecs work and I tried to make it angsty but... I’m not great at just angsty? 
> 
> Happy birthday!!!!

The thrum of the engine on the cherry red drop-ship was all Ignis can hear. It’s familiar, but it brought with it a sharp pain in his chest, and the feeling of loss. He hadn’t seen the ship in - well he hadn’t seen just about anything in quite some time. But he knew who it brought in its hull, and the idea that she was returning, well. 

The machinery that assisted the landing process dropped, grating on his ears. He couldn’t help his expression of discomfort, ignoring the way that Gladio clapped him on the shoulder. The door to the ship opened, leaving a prickling feeling on the back of his neck. He heard the click of heels, the swish of fabric. Could almost feel the warmth radiating as she stopped in front of him. 

“Well, Specs,” came the soft, silky voice he’d been expecting but wasn’t quite ready for. “Isn’t this a surprise.”

It’s a dry, lilting statement. “Quite,” he responded, lips pinching together. He heard her chuckle and turned his head away, clasping his hands together on the top of his cane. It was the closest he could get to properly conveying his disdain. 

“Thanks for coming,” Gladio said. Ignis couldn’t help the way his eyebrows bunched together with his frustration. He didn’t need to be  _ babysat.  _

“What I wouldn’t do for my favorite hunters, right?” He could only imagine her crossing her arms over her chest, that sly smirk on her lips that sent a pang through his chest. Gods, he’d never see it again. “You and Blondie be safe. If I have to go on another rescue mission for the pipsqueak, I’m gonna implode.” 

“How tasteless,” Ignis sniffed, turning to walk back in the direction of the building where he was staying. He heard Gladio exchange a few more words with the woman, and then she was at his elbow, guiding him away. “Where do you think we’re going?” he demanded. 

“To deal with your moping.” Her hand on his elbow was careful, but insistent, and with a half-hearted protest he allowed her to drag him away. They entered a building, and the stiff, cool air of the gym met his face. “Bet you haven’t touched a blade since your precious prince disappeared.”

_ “King,” _ he corrected. He could imagine her rolling her eyes, could hear the scoff in her voice as she continued. 

“Whatever he is, he’s gone now.”

“He’s not  _ gone,”  _ Ignis said, fighting to keep his voice level. “The King will return. He’ll return, and the Scourge will be dealt with.”

“Yeah, whatever. You have more important shit to deal with right now, Specs.” She guided him through the gym, then stopped him and took the cane. “Swing.” 

He paused. “Aranea, this is ridiculous. I must return — ”

“You  _ must  _ not care about the world Noctis left for you to protect,” Aranea said. His jaw clenched and he closed his hand into a fist, flexing it repeatedly. “Yeah, whatever. You couldn’t save him from Ardyn.” He swung at the mention of the man. The reason his King was gone. He swung again, but both times his fists connected with nothing. “Now you need to save everyone else from Ardyn, and you’re not gonna do it by bitching about how you can’t see.”

He grit his teeth at her harsh words. “I’m not — ”

“News flash, genius. None of us can see. So get your shit together, and swing.” Ignis swallowed his next words and raised his fists, thrusting forward once more. His hand just barely grazed the side of a punching bag. “Again. Fix your posture.” He continued in this way, striking the bag over and over, until Aranea decided that was enough, and she guided him away from the punching bag. 

“Why did you return?” he asked as she led him around the room. 

“Gladio said you needed help.” He frowned at her obvious attempt to dodge his question and she sighed. “No matter what, I… want you to be taken care of.” 

“You didn’t make that clear before.” He didn’t understand, didn’t know why Aranea would bother. They had been clear; whatever it was they had been cultivating, it needed to end. Ignis needed to remain devoted to the crown, he had said. Aranea needed to protect the people, she had said. They understood. But now he didn’t quite understand. 

“You could take care of yourself before,” she snapped back, too quickly. He remained silent, wondering what her delicate features must look like as she realizes what she said. “I didn’t mean it like that, Specs.”

“Oh?” he asked. “How did you mean it then?” 

“Shut up and swing,” Aranea demanded. Her voice was coming from somewhere in front of him, and he frowned. He took up stance once more, and punched forward, clipping human skin, a shoulder. His frown intensified. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Teaching you to fight a moving opponent,” Aranea said. “Listen to me moving my feet, or breathing.” He let out a grunt as Aranea’s hand collided with his shoulder. “And don’t drop your guard.” 

He shook his head. “I’m not doing this.” A sudden pressure on the back of his legs toppled him, and he grunted as his back collided with the ground. 

“I’m not going easy on you cause you’re blind, Specs. You’re not gonna get back up on your feet doing nothing. They need you. The hunters. Gladio, Prompto. I — ” She falls silent, and Ignis cocked his head. He doesn’t need her to finish. He knew what she wanted to say. 

He nodded and pushed himself to his feet, feeling her brush her hand over his shoulder in a useless attempt to assist him. He took a couple steps back, shook out his hands, and took stance one more. He couldn’t hear, not really, but he kind of knew where Aranea was. If he listened just a little bit harder, he could heard the sound of Aranea taking steps across the mat. He dodged her attack at the last second. 

“Good,” she said. “But slow. Let’s speed up that response time.”

~

A week and a half. That’s how long it took for Gladio and Prompto to return, looking worse for wear but otherwise alright, or so Aranea said. They stood by her dropship, listening to the hum of the machinery as it woke. 

“Where will you go?” he asked, voice quiet. He felt her lean against him, shrug exaggeratedly. 

“Lots of people in need of help out there,” she said, voice cheerful. “I can’t stay here all the time. There are places out there that take a lot longer to reach by car than dropship.”

“Will you return?” Ignis asked. The pause was long, and after an eternity Aranea pulled away, leaving a sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew it was foolish to ask, but he’d hoped...

“I don’t think that’s a smart idea,” Aranea said. “There’s a lot of things to worry about right now, Specs. We shouldn’t add something we can’t maintain to the list.”

Ignis nods, ignoring the pain flaring in his chest. It was just like before, but doubled. Last time, he had his service to Noctis to turn to. Now, he had…

“Remember to keep training,” Aranea said, voice firm. “And keep doing those exercises. And no cane.” He couldn’t help his small smile at her mothering tone. 

“I’ll do my best. When next we spar together, I’ll be the one on top.” It came out exactly as he intended it to, and he smiled at Aranea’s raucous laughter. 

She stepped closer and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, and he turned his head just enough to press a real, long, tender kiss to her lips. It wasn’t smart, but he needed it like he needed air. Needed to remember what her lips felt like, imagine the shape of them in his mind as he gripped her arm, suddenly unwilling to let go. 

A throat clearing behind them finally prompted Aranea to pull away, and he could suddenly, vividly imagine the way she smiled when they’ve been caught doing something they shouldn’t. She said her goodbyes, and he listened to the door on the ship close, and the machine took flight. 

“Gladio?” he called as he listened to the ship depart. The other man was instantly at his side. “Let’s spar.”

“Huh? Are you sure you’re up to that?”

“I have never been more certain.” He couldn’t help his smile. “I have a date I certainly cannot miss.”


End file.
